Council threat over illegal dumping…

By Justin Robertson
AN ECLECTIC pile of commercial rubbish found on vacant blocks in Pakenham has a local councillor seething.
A range of building items such as, insulation, silver duct piping, bricks and plaster have been scattered over an empty property on Sandalwood Drive, 150 metres from the freeway, which has left the council to pick up the cleaning bill.
Cardinia Shire councillor Collin Ross said it was appalling that Pakenham was thought of as a dumping ground for debris.
“It’s an absolute disgrace, that the perception is Pakenham is considered a dumping ground,” he said.
“It’s blatant littering. There will no mercy shown when we catch whoever is doing this – and we will catch them.”
Cr Ross said the illegal dump looked like the work of builders or contractors who backed their trucks and utes onto the empty block of land to get rid of their load.
Heritage Springs has also copped the same littering wrath.
“It’s probably cheaper for some builders to dump their rubbish here in Pakenham before they leave so they avoid paying $150 for a mini skips bin,” he said.
“It’s a blight on Pakenham and I encourage anyone who sees this act to dob them in straight away.”
Last October Cr Ross vented his disgust against domestic rubbish that was being dumped illegally in vacant lots, but said this recent spate of trash is much closer to residents’ homes.
“Last time we saw vacant lots looking like tips in newly developed areas of Pakenham,” he said.
“But now there are rubbish piles closer to the freeway and homes.”
Cr Ross said the shire pays a clean up bill that is in the tens of thousands of dollars each year and eats into the pockets of Cardinia ratepayers.
As a deterrent for would-be litterbugs, the shire has approximately 20 tripwire surveillance cameras secretly placed in local “hotspots” for litter, to catch people dumping illegally.
Litterbugs caught dumping commercial rubbish can face a $2000 fine and can also be prosecuted which would result in the shutting down of their business.
“If people don’t comply with council rules and we catch them, then we’ll come down hard,” he said.
“Just don’t do it. We will catch you in the end.”